The Google-Mart Economy

Wal-Mart to award $2bn to staff

2009-03-23T17:33:00.000-07:00

- Wal-Mart to award $2bn to staff:

By Jonathan Birchall in New York

Published: March 23 2009 19:04 | Last updated: March 23 2009 19:04

Wal-Mart has underlined its ascendancy in an otherwise bleak US retail landscape with plans to award about $2bn in financial bonuses and other incentives to hundreds of thousands of its US hourly employees.

The annual package of bonuses, which include cash bonuses and additional contributions to pension savings accounts, comes as several troubled retailers have suspended contributions to their staff’s 401(k) pension savings."

Microsoft, Google Top Asia Survey - WSJ.com

2009-02-28T10:44:00.000-08:00

Microsoft, Google Top Asia Survey - WSJ.com:
"By CRIS PRYSTAY

Three years ago, Google Inc. had a marginal physical presence in Asia -- a handful of staff in sales offices in Japan, Korea and Australia. Flash forward to 2008: The company has 2,000 employees in 15 offices in the region, plus 11 research-and-development centers, where engineers churn out products and services for Asian markets as well as Internet users world-wide."

No more "what will be" from WalMart

2009-02-05T07:16:00.000-08:00

read at Bloomberg.com: Worldwide:
"Feb. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, reported January sales that exceeded its projection and said it will stop giving a monthly forecast, citing difficulty in predicting consumer behavior."

IBM partners with Google Health

2009-02-05T05:32:00.000-08:00

read at he Technology Chronicles
"IBM partners with Google Health

People who use Google Health will now be able to automatically stream data from medical devices - such as those used to monitor glucose levels and blood pressure - into their personal health records.

In a partnership announced Thursday, Google Health users will be able to use IBM software to connect their personal medical devices to their health record. That will allow patients to exchange the data with their doctors or other authorized parties in real time."

Google Earth Blog: Google Earth 5 - Initial Reactions

2009-02-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

Google Earth Blog: Google Earth 5 - Initial Reactions: "Google Earth 5 was released on Monday February 2nd. Overall, it appears the reaction globally has been very positive. Lots of excitement over the four major new features: Ocean, Recorded Tours, Historical Imagery, and Mars. Many other significant features have been discovered in the last two days especially for developers.

Here are some notes on initial reactions so far to Google Earth 5:"

Wal-Mart Tops Zogby Poll of Fave Stores

2009-02-03T13:32:00.000-08:00

@ shoppingblog.com
: "A new Zogby poll asked consumers where they would shop if they could only shop at one store for the rest of their lives. The winner? Wal-Mart, followed by Target."

Google brings Gmail tasks to iPhone

2009-02-03T13:29:00.000-08:00

@ Ars Technica:
"After introducing tasks for Gmail on desktop browsers, Google has produced an optimized Web app for managing Gmail tasks on your iPhone. It isn't quite as full-featured as its desktop counterpart, but Gmail users who are looking to get a little more productive will surely appreciate the gesture.
By David Chartier | Last updated February 3, 2009 10:40"

Doodle 4 Google calling all students | Webware - CNET

2009-02-03T13:28:00.000-08:00

@ - CNET:
"Google announced its 'Doodle 4 Google 2009' competition Tuesday. According to the company, all kindergarten through 12th grade U.S. students can design a Google logo based on the theme, 'What I wish for the world.' Applications will be accepted until March 31 and the winner's doodle will be displayed on Google's homepage on May 21. The winner will receive a $15,000 college scholarship and a $25,000 technology grant for their school. Google will also award a school district $10,000 for the 'greatest quality participation.' Student drawings will be evaluated by a panel of independent judges and Google employees."

Google, NASA Launch Singularity University

2009-02-03T13:26:00.000-08:00

@ MediaPost Publications 02/03/2009:
"Google and NASA have partnered to back a new school for futurists dubbed 'Singularity University.' Ray Kurzweil, 'whose predictions about the exponential pace of technological change have made him a controversial figure in technology circles,' will run the school, writes David Gelles. The school will sit at the Ames Research Center near Google's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., and offer courses on biotechnology, nano-technology and artificial intelligence."

Wal-Mart tests diesel-electric trucks

2009-02-03T12:42:00.000-08:00

@ FT.com / Companies

"Wal-Mart is testing hybrid diesel-electric trucks in a step towards extending the energy saving technology to the workhorses of the US road transport system.

Chris Sultemeier, head of Wal-Mart’s transport, said on Monday the retailer would operate trucks in different US cities over the coming year, to “determine if these technologies will help reduce our environmental footprint, are viable for our business and provide a return on investment”."

Google Earth 5 - Video Showcase

2009-02-03T06:13:00.000-08:00

@ Google Earth Blog: Google Earth 5 - Video Showcase:
"Here is some visual delights showing new features of Google Earth 5 by video (including three I created and added to my posts yesterday). You can download Google Earth 5 for free and try these features out yourself. Check out GEB's main post on GE 5 which includes links to other feature stories."

Google Earth Goes Deep With Ocean Simulations

2009-02-03T06:11:00.000-08:00

@ NYTimes.com:

"On Monday, the ocean images will undergo the most significant of several upgrades to Google Earth, with the new version downloadable free at earth.google.com, according to the company.

Another feature, Historical Imagery, provides the ability to scroll back through decades of satellite images and watch the spread of suburbia or erosion of coasts."

Click a function called Touring and you can create narrated, illustrated tours, on land or above and below the sea surface, describing and showing things like a hike or scuba excursion, or even a research cruise on a deep-diving submarine.

Google Error Sends Warning Worldwide - NYTimes.com

2009-02-02T04:41:00.000-08:00

read @ NYTimes.com:

"Google’s Internet search service malfunctioned for nearly 55 minutes Saturday morning, upending users around the world with search results that carried false safety warnings and Web links that did not work.

The company acknowledged Saturday that all searches produced links with the same warning message: “This site may harm your computer.” Clicking on any of the links led to an error message stating that the desired site could not be reached.

“What happened?” Google explained in its blog. “Very simply, human error.”

Google said it periodically updates its list of sites suspected of carrying dangerous software that could harm computers, and that Saturday morning a Google employee mistyped a Web address for one such site, causing all sites to be flagged harmful."

Shit happens.

Google releases Android open-source code: company

2009-02-01T14:08:00.000-08:00

read at canada.com
"WASHINGTON — Google on Tuesday released the open-source code which powers its Android mobile operating system and invited outside programmers to tinker with the software to develop their own features."

YouTube And Google Earth Demo The Talk Of Davos

2009-01-31T14:05:00.000-08:00

@ TechCrunch: YouTube And Google Earth Demo The Talk Of Davos:

"Last year I blogged about the YouTube corner at the World Economic Forum event in Davos, Switzerland. They had prime real estate between the main conference area and private meeting rooms, and heads of state, business executives, Nobel Laureates and rock stars strolled by and stopped to leave a video."

Not really a surprise as it will probably be the infrastructure for a gezillion videos on demand on the Home TV.

Telephone+ TV+ Search + big filing cabinet = Internet.
Google owns Telephone and Search. If Gdrive works, that's the big filing cabinet. YouTube should be the TV part.

Next stop is publishing in the physical world. That means Print.

Wal-Mart Pushes Green Outside U.S. Borders - Environment

2009-01-31T11:23:00.000-08:00

Wal-Mart Pushes Green Outside U.S. Borders - Environment

Wal-Mart Pushes Green Outside U.S. Borders
NaturalPath Media - found this 45 hours ago on www.environmentalleader.com (flag)
Wal-Mart announced this week goals to reduce phosphates in products in the Americas region by 70 percent by 2011. The move is part of a larger environmental plan for the region, which will also include more sustainable packaging. Phosphates, a chemical commonly found in laundry and dish

.."Maybe Wal-mart will buy some newspapers? Turn them into community based regional papers and set up Publishing Centers to attract new talent + change the perception of their brand?

Wal-Mart, other blue chips buck crisis in bond market | Reuters

2009-01-31T11:17:00.000-08:00

@Wal-Mart, other blue chips buck crisis in bond market | Reuters: "By Dena Aubin - Analysis

NEW YORK (Reuters) - As markets brace for the worst corporate defaults since the Great Depression, torrents of cash are flowing to America's highest-quality companies, pushing their borrowing costs to record or multiyear lows."

I guess they also missed the news about the financial meltdown. Wonder if they might be interested in being a channel for Community Based Publishing? Or maybe they would be interested in setting up Publishing Centers, next to their drug stores?

Wal-Mart Foundation Gives $800,000 in Grants Across Arkansas

2009-01-31T11:14:00.000-08:00

@Wal-Mart Foundation Gives $800,000 in Grants Across Arkansas:

"The Wal-Mart Foundation today announced $843,000 in contributions to local non-profit organizations and projects across Arkansas."

Economic Stimulus anyone?

Wal-Mart to begin construction

2009-01-31T11:12:00.000-08:00

MorganHillTimes.com | Wal-Mart to begin construction:

"Retail giant Wal-Mart pulled building permits this week from the City of Morgan Hill for its planned store in Cochrane Plaza.

Already, Wal-Mart's presumed contractor, Shales Construction, has erected green construction fencing around the old Target store, where the shop will be located."

I guess they missed the news that the sky is falling.

Google Gears = no more Office/OpenOffice for students | Education IT | ZDNet.com

2009-01-31T10:09:00.000-08:00

@ Google Gears = no more Office/OpenOffice for students | Education IT | ZDNet.com:

"Every day, I look for ways to make the OS less relevant and make kids’ work accessible to them anytime, anywhere. I can’t do this just yet for my secretaries and some serious power users. They rely at least on the full feature set (or a significant subset) of OpenOffice, and a select few are using Office 2007/2008 for all it’s worth (detractors aside, it’s worth quite a lot)."

Google + Cloud Content + Dell, et al = deep shit for textbook publishers.

Why a 'Google Web Drive' Won't Kill Windows, the PC or Anything Else | Epicenter from Wired.com

2009-01-31T10:06:00.000-08:00

@ Why a 'Google Web Drive' Won't Kill Windows, the PC or Anything Else | Epicenter from Wired.com:

"Rumors of the GDrive, Google’s supposed answer to online file storage, are bubbling up again. The fabled GDrive is by far the most clamored-for Google service that, so far anyway, has yet to see the light of day. We’ve been hearing about a Google Drive online storage solution for years, but lately some tell-tale signs seem to point toward GDrive becoming a reality."

Ya think?

Rumour: Google to buy Skype | News | TechRadar UK - PC Hardware

2009-01-31T10:03:00.000-08:00

@Rumour: Google to buy Skype | News | TechRadar UK - PC Hardware: "

Rumour: Google to buy Skype | News | TechRadar UK Links3
Maximum PC all RSS Feed found this 3 days ago on www.techradar.com (flag)
Leading VoIP service Skype goes from strength to strength, with revenues rising by 26 per cent last quarter. Yet despite this success, parent company eBay is rumoured to be looking to offload its cash-cow to none other than Google. The rumours seem credible when you consider that eBay's latest"

Internet = telephone + TV + Search + a big filing cabinet.

Google shamed by Low Countries search • The Register

2009-01-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

Google shamed by Low Countries search • The Register: "

As Google and Yahoo! play Privacy Theatre, at least one search engine has realized your personal data is not a toy.

Today - aka Data Privacy Day 2009 - Netherlands-based search engine Ixquick told the world it will no longer log user IPs. In the past, the privacy-obsessed outfit stored IP addresses for only 48 hours, but it has now shunned the practice entirely."

The tricky part is that the movement in advertising is to geo location. No IP addresses, no geo information? I'm not a geek, so I don't know for sure, but . . . .

Is Google Too Big To Fail? - Finance Blog - Felix Salmon - Market Movers - Portfolio.com

2009-01-31T09:58:00.000-08:00

@ Is Google Too Big To Fail? - Finance Blog - Felix Salmon - Market Movers - Portfolio.com: "

Robert Cottrell has a provocative post about the cloud today. Is the future of information in the cloud? Robert has his doubts:"

Are nation states defined by imaginary lines on the ground after WWI and WWII too big to fail? How about gerrymandered congressional districts?

Around the Web 1.29.09: All Google all the time | Technology | Los Angeles Times

2009-01-31T09:55:00.000-08:00

@ Around the Web 1.29.09: All Google all the time | Technology | Los Angeles Times:

"President Obama and Google CEO Eric Schmidt-- At Google's D.C. inauguration bash, Craigslist's Craig Newmark said to keep an eye on Google project manager Katie Jacobs Stanton. Booyah.

Google+NoDrama Obama = Government Information Infrastructure.

How Much Should We Let Companies Snoop? | Epicenter from Wired.com

2009-01-31T09:51:00.000-08:00

@ How Much Should We Let Companies Snoop? | Epicenter from Wired.com:

"I just had a very fun debate/conversation on bloggingheadstv with Ari Schwartz of the Center for Democracy and Technology. The subject was the story Fred Vogelstein and I recently wrote called The Plot to Kill Google, and the particular topic was privacy.

We began by discussing part of the article's thesis: privacy is going to be a huge debate in the next year, in large part because a group of companies that don't like Google seem it as the best way to go after the search company. If they can paint the Mountain View company as a sprawling snooper, they can weaken it and thus gain leverage in all sorts of other areas."

In Google Mart information is the infrastructure. Infrastructure needs regulation. What is going to change isthe cultural definition of "privacy."

Offline Gmail Takes You One Step Closer to Email Nirvana

2009-01-31T09:47:00.000-08:00

Offline Gmail Takes You One Step Closer to Email Nirvana:

"hen Google launched Gmail's IMAP capabilities last year, it thrust the ubiquitous Web-based mail service into the limelight as a true contender for enterprise use. Even though it's tightly integrated with Google Apps, a powerful suite of business tools, many people still shunned Gmail citing about a lack of offline accessibility. Gmail users, rejoice. Now there's Offline Gmail.

"Email is the killer AP. The web is Telephone+TV+Search + as big filing cabinet. It's driven by Telephone. Email is telephone.

Google M-Labs: Your Personal Traffic Cop - The Channel Wire - IT Channel News And Views by CRN and VARBusiness

2009-01-31T09:45:00.000-08:00

@Google M-Labs: Your Personal Traffic Cop - The Channel Wire - IT Channel News And Views by CRN and VARBusiness:

"Google M-Labs: Your Personal Traffic Cop
Streaming video, BitTorrent and e-mailing photos are all dependent on the speed of a broadband connection. Recently, there has been news that some ISPs are planning to impose rate limits on customer connections that can throttle how quickly broadband operates. Google doesn't think that's fair and has created Measurement Labs (or M-Labs) to let users fight back.

"Not a bad idea if you have the biggest baddest server farms on the planet.

� More traces of GDrive popping up | Googling Google | ZDNet.com

2009-01-31T09:43:00.000-08:00

@ More traces of GDrive popping up | Googling Google | ZDNet.com: "

Traces of GDrive have been extremely difficult, or impossible, to find in the wild — until recently that is. This higher rate of GDrive related discoveries tells me that the service is sure to be a released as a real product at some point, hopefully soon."

Time to buy umbrellas for the Google Cloud?

Take a Peek at the Google Drive - PC World

2009-01-31T09:42:00.000-08:00

@ Take a Peek at the Google Drive - PC World:

"Google's long-awaited online storage tool, dubbed the Google Drive, may soon be a reality. A detailed description of the GDrive was found in a file used by Google Pack, a suite of Google desktop programs, by blogger Brian Ussery."

The Cloud is forming. It's been a long time forming, but getting very close.

Exclusive: Obama taps former Google manager (Dealscape)

2009-01-31T09:35:00.000-08:00

Exclusive: Obama taps former Google manager (Dealscape):

"The White House has confirmed to The Deal that former Google Inc. executive Katie Jacobs Stanton has been hired. A spokesperson could not confirm her exact title, which AllthingsD.com reported late Wednesday night will be the very Web 2.0-sounding position of 'director of citizen participation."

Education, health and government are the growing markets. Google fan gathering + No Drama Obama building the communication infrastructure.

Dell Reentering The Mobile Phone Market With Google Android? - G4tv.com

2009-01-31T09:32:00.000-08:00

Dell Reentering The Mobile Phone Market With Google Android? - G4tv.com:

"It looks like Dell is set to reenter the mobile-phone business. At least that's the story according to The Wall Street Journal. While the promise of a Windows Mobile phone from Dell is kind of dull, the potential of a Dell phone running Google Android is the hotness. The WSJ has reported:"

Dell+Google vs iPhone +ATT? I'm betting on a real horse race that is just going to speed up adoption of ubiquitous computing. Can't wait until Dell or ???? starts doing ebooks v Kindle. I figure Dell on the ground+ Google in the Cloud is a real match for Kindle+Amazon in the Cloud. Download a book for $1 instead of $9.95.? And when they focus on textbooks, who exactly is going to pay $35 for a textbook that might cost $10? Too bad the knol project didn't scale. Maybe when the knol writers can get textbook royalties. . . .

ABC News: Swiss Police Spy Marijuana Field With Google Earth

2009-01-31T09:26:00.000-08:00

@ ABC News: Swiss Police Spy Marijuana Field With Google Earth:

"Swiss police said Thursday they stumbled across a large marijuana plantation while using Google Earth, the search engine company's satellite mapping software."

Consider the size of the shadow economy of crime and how it has erupted in "global terrorism."

Mapping and Animating Growth of Target Across United States | FlowingData

2009-01-31T07:53:00.000-08:00

@ FlowingData:

"After I produced a map that shows the growth of Walmart, there were tons of comments that were along the lines of, 'I would love to see this for insert company here.' I was happy to see the enthusiasm, but the hard part is getting the data for all store locations and opening dates."

Very cool maps.

Springsteen calls Wal-Mart deal a mistake

2009-01-31T07:48:00.000-08:00

@The Associated Press:

"In an interview with The New York Times, Bruce Springsteen says he shouldn't have made a deal with Wal-Mart. This month, the store started exclusively selling a Springsteen greatest-hits CD.

Some fans were critical because Springsteen has been a longtime supporter of worker's rights, and Wal-Mart has faced criticism for its labor practices. Springsteen's team didn't vet the issue as closely as it should have, and that he 'dropped the ball on it,' he told the Times for a story to be published in Sunday editions and previewed on its Web site"

The long term value is the fans. Short term gains can mess up long term values.

The Clinton Herald, Clinton, Iowa - Eco Tourism Center receives Wal-Mart grant

2009-01-31T07:46:00.000-08:00

@The Clinton Herald, Clinton, Iowa

"Eco Tourism Center receives Wal-Mart grant

CLINTON — Sen. Roger Stewart and Rep. Polly Bukta helped the Clinton County Conservation Foundation accept a $30,000 donation from the Wal-Mart Foundation during an event Friday at the Clinton Wal-Mart store."

Eco tourism could be a growing sector.

Google Ad Platform Supplies Better Viewer Data 01/30/2009

2009-01-30T04:58:00.000-08:00

read at MediaPost
"Google TV Ads, the TV advertising platform for TV advertisers, is offering new time-shifting viewership data for its TV advertiser clients.

Google says the information gives clients insight into how and when viewers see their commercials in playback, adding five new slots of programming to its live data: live plus same day, live plus one day, live plus two day, live plus three days, and live plus seven day data."

Google's GDrive Could Replace your Hard Disk

2009-01-27T16:16:00.000-08:00

read at Techtree.com India
Techtree News Staff, Jan 27, 2009 1254 hrs IST

This drive will allow users to save their data online and users will be able to access their data from any computer in the world.

Taking cloud computing to a new level, Google is soon going to launch 'GDrive', a long-rumored online storage for its users."

Search Market Share 2008: Google Grew, Yahoo & Microsoft Dropped & Stabilized

2009-01-27T02:39:00.000-08:00

read at SeachEngineLand:
"Jan 26, 2009 at 2:49pm ET by Danny Sullivan

With 2008 behind us, I wanted to look back and plot how search engine market share changed over the year in the United States. No surprises here. Pick your numbers, Google grew and grew. Yahoo and Microsoft dropped by lately have leveled off.

Before we do the pretty pictures, I’ll repeat my standing philosophy about search market share figures:"

Google's Channel

2009-01-25T03:32:00.000-08:00

view videos at YouTube - Google's Channel:
Google is growing a TV network. As computer to TV screen comes on line, this could turn out to be a big deal. Q: How to monetize You Tube? A: Become a TV network and sell advertising.
And use the long tail of the fastest, bestest, cheapest server farms in the world.

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Survey of video consumer habits at Digital Landscapes.

Urban China has the largest percent of users who watch online video via their PCs, at 97 percent, with the U.S. following at 81 percent.

- The U.S. has the largest percentage of users watching video on a mobile phone, at 23 percent. U.S. respondents who watch video on their mobile phone spend an average of 36 minutes per day doing so.

- Eighty-five percent of the German respondents are interested in viewing Internet video on their TV sets, compared with 55 percent of Swedes, 54 percent of Americans, and 35 percent of urban Chinese.

Wal Mart Mexico Launches Largest Solar Array in Latin America

2009-01-24T11:23:00.000-08:00

read at TreeHugger:
"Wal Mart Mexico is getting in on the act, launching a 174kw solar array on top of Bodega Aurrera Aguascalientes, one of its stores.

While nowhere near the size of many recent record breaking solar projects elsewhere, (the largest solar roof in the world being GM's 12MW system in Spain), the array is apparently the largest solar array in Latin America. Whether or not we compare it to international records, it is still a major step forward, and a step forward that may encourage the kind of 'solar arms race' we've been seeing elsewhere in the world, with new projects getting bigger all the time. Encouragingly this project is being billed as just a beginning for Wal Mart Mexico."

Walmart latest to create iPhone app

2009-01-24T11:18:00.000-08:00

read at VentureBeat
"Walmart’s app is at least a little more interesting. Called “Walmart - BlowAKiss,” the app is targeted towards Valentine’s Day shoppers. While naturally you can browse and buy Valentine’s Day presents (or, as some might call it, junk), the app also allows you to send that special someone a specially decorated email — or as Walmart calls it, “blow them a kiss.”

The somewhat cute thing about it is that to send the message from your iPhone you actually blow into the device’s microphone. So technically, you are actually blowing them the kiss."

Wal-Mart Opens Campus Pharmacy at U.C.

2009-01-24T11:14:00.000-08:00

Walread at WSAZ3.com
"CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The University of Charleston and Wal-Mart cut the ribbon Friday to open the first of its kind, on-campus pharmacy in the United States.

The pharmacy, which is open to the general public, will teach students real-life work experience while providing quality healthcare services to the local community.

The facility, located in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Pharmacy Education on the UC campus."

Wal-Mart Gets Majority Stake In Chilean Retailer

2009-01-24T10:23:00.000-08:00

read at KHBS NW Arkansas:
"BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, said its tender offer to acquire a majority stake in Chile's largest food retailer was successful. Wal-Mart says it has acquired about 58.2 percent of the Distribucion y Servicio's shares. The move helps Wal-Mart expand in the South American country.

Wal-Mart already has a global procurement office in Santiago and exports Chilean products to its stores in the U.S. and throughout the world. Wal-Mart says D&S operates more than 180 stores in Chile. Wal-Mart's international business is the company's fastest-growing division."

Google Puts The Squeeze On Free Apps (Updated)

2009-01-24T10:19:00.000-08:00

read at washingtonpost.com
"Google says the vast majority of the 1 million businesses that use Google Apps opt for the free advertising supported version. To make the free option less attractive they've been quietly lowering the number of user accounts that can be associated with a free account. Now as businesses grow, they'll be forced to move to the paid version much more quickly than before.

Google Apps is a suite of online applications like gmail, Google calendar, Google Docs, etc. that are packaged and tailored for business use. It's growing fast - in a recent post where Google announced the opening of a reseller program, the company said that more than 1 million businesses and 10 million users use Google Apps today, and 3,000 new businesses sign up daily. The largest business user, Genentech, has 20,000 employees on Google Apps."

Google ready to pursue its agenda in Washington

2009-01-24T10:15:00.000-08:00

read at the Los Angeles Times
By Jim Puzzanghera and Jessica Guynn
January 24, 2009
Reporting from Washington -- Another inauguration took place in Washington this week -- Google Inc. officially became a political power player.

In October, Google was only hours from being sued by the Justice Department as a Web-search monopolist. Today, less than three years after it made its first Washington hire, the Internet giant is poised to capitalize on its backing of President Obama and pursue its agenda in the nation's capital."

Retailers Still Expanding in China

2009-01-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

read more (subscription required) WSJ.com:

"Shanghai

Some of the biggest international retailers are going ahead with ambitious expansion plans in China, which remains a relative bright spot in a world of slumping sales.

Companies like U.K. supermarket chain Tesco PLC and big-box retailers Carrefour SA and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. continue to see the Chinese consumer as a good long-term bet. For now, even though consumer sentiment in China shows clear signs of flagging, retail sales growth is still positive.

Retailers 'look stupid if they open in Europe or the U.S., so emerging markets [like China] look more attractive,' said Morgan Parker, Asia president of luxury ..."

Google Reports Inauguration Day Searches

2009-01-22T11:27:00.000-08:00

read at InformationWeek:
"'During the last nine years, the growth of the Internet has changed the way the world seeks information,' they observe. 'From President Bush's first inaugural address in 2001 to his second in 2005, the number of inauguration-related searches increased by more than a factor of 10. From 2005 to today's address, the number grew even more.'

Equally significant, if not more so for traditional media organizations, is the extent to which Google has become the TV Guide of the Internet. 'Few of the 2001 queries requested 'video,' and none requested streaming,' write Oldham and Leach. 'By 2005, a few queries such as 'inauguration audio' and 'streaming video of inauguration' appeared. Today, technology has become so prevalent that queries such as 'YouTube live inauguration,' 'live blogging inauguration,' 'inaugural podcast,' and 'Obama inaugural speech mp3' formed one-third of all inauguration-related queries.'"

As Goes Google So Goes The Economy?

2009-01-22T11:25:00.000-08:00

read at Search Engine Watch (SEW): "Forbes just published a piece about 'Google as Economic Barometer'. It has some merit and a lot of details. Basically stating 'Investors searching Google's fourth-quarter earnings may see clues about the state of the Internet ad business, the economy and the future of the company itself.'

Dropping various products like Print Ads, its Twitter-like application Jaiku, and Lively a Second Life clone, reflects a tightening of its bottom line. Firing 100 recruiters (and the implied drop in future hires) and the closing of its offices in Sweden and Norway, as well as a newly opened one in Austin, Texas are also the actions of a company trying to improve its numbers. The cutting of 20 engineers cuts a little to the heart of the company's operation."

Google helping tourists around New York City

2009-01-22T11:23:00.000-08:00

read at ZDNet.com:
"New York City, along with Google, launched a new website that is designed to help tourists and residents find their way around the city, and plan their days out. As a recent first-time visitor to the Big Apple, a site like this would have actually been quite useful.

Mayor Bloomberg says he hopes that “nycgo.com becomes the official online resource for tourists and residents looking for an activity or a place to go”. The site appears to have lots of information, and can definitely direct people in the right direction."

Google Adds YouTube Videos To Gmail Chat -

2009-01-22T11:22:00.000-08:00

read more at InformationWeek:
"Google (NSDQ: GOOG) decided that opening another window on your desktop to view a YouTube video required too much effort. Solution? Video viewing capabilities are now a standard Gmail Chat feature.

Tack on another feature to the growing list of 'I Can Do That' abilities in Google's Gmail.

Software engineer Jessan Hutchison-Quillian posted a blurb on The Official Gmail Blog late last night. Hutchison-Quillian says, 'My friends always hate it when I multitask in other tabs while chatting with them (they can tell because of my obviously delayed reactions...). But sometimes it's not my fault: if they send me a link to a YouTube video, I have to open another tab in order to watch it.'"

YouTube to content partners: Advertise away

2009-01-22T11:06:00.000-08:00

read more at Terry Heaton’s PoMo Blog
"TechCrunch is reporting that YouTube is beginning to allow content partners to serve their own ads along with videos they make available via the service. This is, of course, pretty huge. It’s one of the key principles of monetizing unbundled media and one that mass media types will immediately welcome. After all, who has a bigger mass that YouTube, right?

Erick Schonfeld, who wrote the TechCrunch piece, rightly notes that Google wants to monetize YouTube any way it can.

The ability to sell their own ads on YouTube is a big deal for larger media companies, especially those which are already selling Web video ads across their own sites. Media companies with lots of video tend to have large advertising sales teams that are typically able to command better ad rates than what YouTube can get. The prospect of selling ads against all of their videos on YouTube at those higher ad rates has them salivating, even if they have to share the spoils with YouTube."

What do Wal-Mart and open-source software have in common?

2009-01-22T09:45:00.000-08:00

read at Salon.com:
"The 451 Group, a market intelligence consultancy that proudly distinguishes itself from its 'pay-for-play-propaganda' competitors, predicts that 2009 will be a big year for open-source software merger and acquisition activity. (DealBook has the tip.)

The reasoning goes something like this: In a down economy, software users are going to seek the low-price alternative, just as retail consumers flock to Wal-Mart. So established software companies will be looking to snap up likely suspects.

The expectation is not that customers will divert funds previously allocated to proprietary projects toward open source software but that significant project spending will be delayed while open source becomes even more attractive for smaller, skunkworks-style projects."

Wal-Mart makes Vancouver foray

2009-01-21T05:52:00.000-08:00

read more at Clagary Herald
"From Herald News Services
Published: Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Retail - Wal-Mart plans to open its first Vancouver store today.

The new outlet represents the retailer's long-sought break into the Vancouver market following the very public and political rejection of a proposed development at another location in 2005."

Google Web Drive online storage service tipped in Picasa

2009-01-21T04:21:00.000-08:00

read more at SlashGear:
"Google could be developing a new online storage system, if a screenshot from the new version of Picasa for Mac is to be believed. The image shows a new entry to the “Move to Collection” menu option, listing “Google Web Drive” among the usual array of folders and shortcuts."

Using Google's Year'End Report for Market Research

2009-01-21T04:19:00.000-08:00

read more at - NYTimes.com:
"By AllBusiness.com
Published: January 20, 2009
Think you're up on the latest trends? Check out Google Zeitgeist to find out. Google recently released its annual report of fastest'rising search terms for the year, which covers everything from politics to gifts, and it also has a host of other tools to help you better understand what's hot and what's not. The Year'End Zeitgeist report takes you back through the top events, happenings, and issues of the year."

Google’s inauguration search queries show a rapidly evolving Internet �

2009-01-21T04:17:00.000-08:00

read more at VentureBeat
"n 2001, there were no Google search queries for streaming video of George W. Bush’s inaugural address. In fact, there were very few even for video of the event. By 2005, Bush’s second inaugural address, that had changed as inauguration-related searches rose by a factor of 10. Yesterday, during Barack Obama’s inauguration, that factor grew even more, according to a post on the Google Blog."

Google’s founding chef opens restaurant

2009-01-20T11:21:00.000-08:00

read more at San Francisco Business Times::
Google Inc.’s founding executive chef, Charlie Ayers, opens his first restaurant Tuesday in Palo Alto.

Calafia Cafe & Market A-Go-Go is a casual caf�and bar located in Town & Country Village.

Ayers is known for this “slow food served fast” approach to cooking and wrote Food 2.0: Secrets from the Chef Who Fed Google .

He plans to use a majority of ingredients from within a 150-mile radius and will not serve food containing growth hormones or antibiotics."

Presidential inauguration streams live to iPhone

2009-01-20T10:31:00.000-08:00

read at TG Daily

"Washington (DC) - Tomorrow's Presidential inauguration of Barack Obama, an event of historic proportions by any merit, will be streamed live to iPhone and iPod touch users - thanks to Juicy Development's Talk Radio application. As the inauguration ceremony unfolds, iPhone and iPod touch users across the globe will be able to hear a live audio stream of the event. That is, provided there is public Wi-Fi hotspot coverage because carriers don't currently allow applications that stream audio over their cellular networks."

YouTube rolls out download feature on Barack Obama channel

2009-01-20T10:30:00.000-08:00

read at TG Daily
"Chicago (IL) - Barack Obama, the first African American President in the U.S. history, is scheduled to become sworn today at noon EST. He also appeared to have found some spare time to roll out a new YouTube feature that finally lets people legally download YouTube videos to their computers. Sort of. Google has actually chosen Barack Obama's YouTube channel as an exclusive test ground for the download feature that may or may not eventually apply to entire YouTube content when it's rolled out officially. The choice of Obama's channel is not coincidental: With today's inauguration, traffic on Obama's channel would go through the roof - a real test for the download feature."

Yahoo gains search advertising market share, Google keeps lead

2009-01-20T10:28:00.000-08:00

read at the Atlanta Business Chronicle:
"Google Inc. maintained its hold on the search advertising market during the fourth quarter with 76 percent market share while Yahoo Inc. gained 3 percent share year-over-year, according to a report Tuesday.

Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Efficient Frontier, which provides search engine marketing technology and services, released its quarterly report based an analysis of 92 billion impressions and 600 million clicks across a portion of its customers.

'Despite the economic downturn and reports of the erosion of other marketing channels in 2008, the index of Efficient Frontier customers included in the Q4 report saw a minimal 8 percent decrease year-over-year, while the retail sector saw a 9 percent uptick in spending year-over-year, an indication of the strength of the search marketing channel,' the company said."

Google Drive Rumors Flare Up Again

2009-01-20T04:11:00.000-08:00

from ReadWriteWeb:
"For years people have speculated that Google would use some of its incredible capacity to offer dedicated online data storage, something like a 'Google Drive.' Hints that such a project is in the works have popped up time and again, but some interesting new ones have emerged lately.

Why would you like a Google Drive service? For the presumably very low price point (free?), for the ease of backing up important data or for the potential integration of stored data into other powerful Google services? There's lots of reasons to perk up your ears when rumors like this pop up.

Greg Sterling sums up the latest rumors on Search Engine Land this morning. He points to two other recent stories that offer hope that GDrive is real."

T-Mobile Android in Europe

2009-01-20T03:55:00.000-08:00

From Talk Android
"Over the coming weeks T-Mobile's G1 Android phone will be released across several more European Countries.

The G1 will be made available to T-Mobile customers across The Netherlands, Czech Republic and Austria by January 30th. With the G1 launching across Germany on February 2nd, followed by Poland later in the month.

In Germany the G1 phone will sell for 1 euro ($1.33) in combination with a two-year contract with T-Mobile, or can be bought for 450 euros without a plan."

Google Knol six months later: Wikipedia need not worry

2009-01-20T03:51:00.000-08:00

read at ars technica
"What happened to Knol? Announced by Google in late 2007 and launched in July 2008, the site was meant to bring more credible (read: not written by anonymous Wikipedians) 'knowledge units' to the web, and it would allow the authors to cash in on their work. But it's 2009, and Knol appears to be notable largely for its non-notability.

First, the good news. Knol users have already published more than 100,000 pieces of knowledge and the project has a (shockingly) quick schedule of incremental releases. According to the Knolologists of Google, 'people visit Knol from 197 countries and territories on an average day, from the Aland Islands and Antarctica to Zambia and Zimbabwe.'"

Wal-Mart Mexico Inaugurates Largest Sun-Operated Photovoltaic Installation in Latin America

2009-01-19T14:47:00.000-08:00

read more at CSR wire
"AGUASCALIENTES, AGS. - January 19, 2009 - Wal-Mart Mexico successfully concluded the installation of a photovoltaic complex that will generate 20% of the energy used by Bodega Aurrera Aguascalientes. Over 1,056 solar panels that were set up on the roof of the store will transform sun energy into electricity. The project, with 174 kW installed, is the largest photovoltaic complex in Latin America, according to ANES (the Mexican Solar Energy Association), and will eliminate the emission of some 140 tons of CO2. ANES gave an award to Wal-Mart Mexico as recognition for this project."

Microsoft: Google Apps No Threat (MSFT, GOOG)

2009-01-19T14:44:00.000-08:00

read at alleyinsdier.com
"We agree with Alex that Microsoft still has an incredible lead over Google in distribution and features. We also agree Google will have a devil of a time trying to make real money off Google Apps.

But that's Google's problem. The problem for Microsoft remains they're trying to charge a lot of money for a product that hasn't significantly changed in over ten years, while Google has something 90% as good (and getting better) that's free."

Salesforce Offers Pricing For Cloud-Computing Services -- Cloud Computing -- InformationWeek

2009-01-19T00:31:00.000-08:00

read more at InformationWeek
"In addition, Salesforce offers customers access to Google's App Engine, which provides access to the search engine's spreadsheet, presentation, word processing, Web mail, and other applications."

Non-union label: Bruce Springsteen silent on his Wal-Mart

2009-01-16T03:26:00.000-08:00

read at BostonHerald.com:
"Not since the heyday of John Steinbeck and Woody Guthrie has the working man had a friend like Bruce Springsteen. From his eulogies for the American Dream on “Born in the U.S.A.” to “The Grapes of Wrath”-redux of “The Ghost of Tom Joad” to the union-rallying music fueling “We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions,” the Boss has championed blue collar causes.

So what led Springsteen to release his new hits package solely through Wal-Mart, a company that pro-union organizations including the AFL-CIO and American Rights at Work blame for “Main Street’s whitewashed windows and vacant stores” that haunt “My Hometown”?"

Google begins denying Google Video uploads

2009-01-16T03:19:00.000-08:00

Read at TG Daily

"Mountain View (CA) - Google is looking to trim the fat from its global operations. The company will be looking for ways to replace or close non-performing or lesser-performing areas of its business. The first to go? Google Video, Google Catalog Search and Google Notebook."

Police Blotter: Google searches nab hit-and-run driver | Politics and Law - CNET News

2009-01-15T08:26:00.000-08:00

read at Politics and Law - CNET News:
Police Blotter is a regular CNET News report on the intersection of technology and the law.

What: Google searches for phrases including 'hit-and-run' nab California investment banker who claimed he believed he killed a deer instead of a person.

When: California appeals court rules on January 14, 2009.

Outcome: Conviction upheld.

What happened, according to court documents and other sources:"

Google Giveth, and Taketh Away: Google Video, Notebook, Catalog Search, Jaiku, and Dodgeball to Shut Down

2009-01-15T04:43:00.000-08:00

read at ReadWriteWeb:
"A number of Google services just announced that they are about to shut down. The Google Video team announced that it will shut down uploads in a few months, while the Google Notebook team announced that it is stopping development (the service will continue to function, however). According to Danny Sullivan, Google is also closing Jaiku, a Twitter-like micro-blogging service that was bought by Google before it even launched, but which has lingered in invite-only mode ever since. Google Catalog search, which made shopping catalogs searchable, will also be closed soon.

Update: Google will release the Jaiku code under the open source Apache license, so that other organizations can pick up where the Google team left off. It is not clear if current users will be able to transfer their accounts."

America's Most Valuable Retail Brands: Redesigned Walmart Brand Worth More Than Next 9 Retailers Combined

2009-01-15T04:40:00.000-08:00

read more at suite101.com
"Interbrand values Walmart brand at $129.8 billion, thanks in part to its new 'Save Money, Live Better' slogan, redesigned stores and about $400 billion in 2008 sales.

The first American retail brand study puts Walmart in a stratospheric class by itself with a brand value almost six times higher than that of second place Best Buy, at $21.98 billion, and almost twice as high as Coke, which is recognized as the world’s most valuable product brand. With its built-in advantages in a troubled economy, Walmart might even improve that position in 2009."

Wal-Mart CEO Sees New Consumer Mind-set

2009-01-14T09:15:00.000-08:00

read at WWD.com:
"NEW YORK — The economy will turn around some day — but don’t expect conspicuous consumption to make a comeback.

So believes H. Lee Scott, chief executive officer of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., noting the dismal economy has caused a permanent and fundamental change in consumer behavior.

The ceo of the world’s largest retailer spoke at the opening session of the National Retail Federation’s 98th annual convention and expo here Monday morning. In what he called his last public speech as Wal-Mart’s ceo — he’ll be succeeded by Mike Duke on Feb. 1 — Scott predicted the first half of 2009 will be “extraordinarily challenging. In the second half you’ll have a rough spot against the stimulus package. It will be moderately better next year. I don’t see anything that says it will turn around swiftly.”"

Interbrand Names Wal-Mart Top Retail Brand

2009-01-14T09:09:00.000-08:00

read more at Brandweek:
"Low prices trumped panache as big-box stores crowded out department stores in Interbrand Design Forum's first ever survey of the top 50 retail brands.

In the report, released today, the New York branding agency named Wal-Mart to the top of the list. Best Buy, The Home Depot, Target and CVS rounded out the top five.

Among the study's inaugural findings: The best retail brands have a clearly defined purpose, 'surround the purchase with a relevant experience,' 'make good on the brand promise' and maintain a consistent brand quality and shopping experience over time. Moreover, the presence of such e-commerce retailers such as eBay (No. 11) and Amazon (No. 14) illustrates that the scope of retail brands is no longer defined by a purely brick-and-mortar"

Google Gets Serious About Resellers

2009-01-14T06:53:00.000-08:00

read more at the washingtonpost.com: "Google is opening the doors to resellers for its Google Apps suite of office services. Businesses who want to use Gmail, Google docs and other Google offices services in lieu of Microsoft or other solutions will be able to sign up at Google or through any qualified value added reseller that chooses to carry the products.

Google says that more than 1 million businesses and 10 million users use Google Apps today, and 3,000 new businesses sign up daily. The largest business user, Genentech, has 20,000 employees on Google Apps."

Google XML Sitemaps WordPress Plugins

2009-01-14T06:47:00.000-08:00

from WordPress › Google XML Sitemaps WordPress Plugins:
Author: Arne Brachhold

This plugin will create a Google sitemaps compliant XML-Sitemap of your WordPress blog. It supports all of the WordPress generated pages as well as custom ones. Everytime you edit or create a post, your sitemap is updated and all major search engines that support the sitemap protocol, like ASK.com, Google, MSN Search and YAHOO, are notified about the update."

Google Maps Mania

2009-01-13T04:46:00.000-08:00

GoLots more at Collaborative Google Maps.
Not sponsored by or affiliated with Google.

"Map Channels Team Maps provides an easy way for groups to create collaborative maps and for websites and blogs to create maps which can be embedded and which can be edited by site visitors."

MelZoo takes on Google with split-screen search - vnunet.com

2009-01-13T04:44:00.000-08:00

read more a vnunet.com
Written by Phil Muncaster
vnunet.com, 12 Jan 2009

The latest in a long line of challengers to Google emerged at the weekend with the launch of a search engine called MelZoo, which has been designed to maximise user productivity.

The site differs from most other web search tools in that the results screen is divided in two. The left side shows search listings, while the right side displays the corresponding web pages."

Ultra High Resolution Paintings in Google Earth

2009-01-13T04:43:00.000-08:00

read at Google Earth Blog

Google has added a new layer tonight. The layer is for the 'Museo Nacional del Prado' in Madrid, Spain. This layer is special because it shows you a selection of 14 paintings from the museum which have been scanned at ultra-high resolution. You use the Google Earth Photo Overlay feature to view the paintings. First, you can find the new layer in the Layers pane under: 'Geographic Web -> Preview -> Museo de Prado'. Once there, select the layer (if it isn't already) and double-click the 'Museo Prado' placemark. This will fly you to the museum. Make sure the '3D Buildings' layer is turned on to see the outside of the museum rendered in 3D. Then select the placemark 'Museo Nacional del Prado' and you should see 14 thumbnails of the paintings Google selected for showing (they said it was hard narrowing the choice to so few, but these are among the best)."

World's largest retailer gives us a small-mart | Cincinnati Enquirer | Cincinnati.Com

2009-01-12T06:01:00.000-08:00

read more at Cincinnati.Com:
"Quantcast

Out of the titan discounter's more than 3,300 stores worldwide, it has chosen this location to test a new retail strategy of shrinking inventory and the size of its supercenters to generate more sales per square foot - a key retail measure - while maintaining its appeal as a one-stop shopping destination.

Once a massive, 220,000-square-foot store on Smiley Road near Interstate 275 and Winton Road, the Walmart was remodeled and shrunk by 93,000 square feet late last year, reopening in November.

Like no other Walmart in the world, the smaller store has a new color scheme, wider aisles, lower shelving, 'green' lighting, unobstructed views and a renovated pharmacy and restrooms."

Crunching the Wal-Mart numbers

2009-01-12T05:54:00.000-08:00

read more at Vallejo Times Herald
"A recent Times-Herald article on Wal-Mart's one-year anniversary quoted me accurately but omitted the exact figures for the city that Wal-Mart has contributed. Based on publicly released figures available from the state of California (www.boe.ca.gov\sutax\localdist.htm), we at California Healthy Community Networks have been able to determine the following figures:

Net revenue for American Canyon from retail sales in 2007/2008 (Aug. 14, 2007 to Aug. 13, 2008) -- $1,604,658

Since Wal-Mart opened mid-fiscal quarter, we estimate based on subsequent quarters that Wal-Mart and all of the other new businesses in American Canyon generated $147,257 that are not in the above figures.

This makes the total figures for retail sales in American Canyon for the period at $1,751,915.

Total sales for American Canyon in the comparable period for 2006/2007 is 1,256,451.

This makes the total generated difference between the Wal-Mart's opening and the previous year at $495,464.

Since specific businesses do not release their actual sales tax revenues, and the other new outlets in American Canyon (including a shoe store, Radio Shack, T-Mobile cell phones, a gas station, 10 new restaurants and two hotels) also contributed to the increase, we are left with the general impression that Wal-Mart contributed between $300,000 and $350,000 to the city's coffers in sales tax revenues. Wal-Mart promised more than $600,000 of sales tax revenues to the city of American Canyon. We at

California Healthy Community Networks would love to see Wal-Mart's actual figures and see if they are significantly different from what the state seems to claim and what Wal-Mart promised the taxpayers of American Canyon.

This $350k they did receive also has to cover the increased costs of having 2-3 shift officers patrolling either Highway 29 in front of Wal-Mart or the parking lot of Wal-Mart. Also, most critically for the long-term health of American Canyon, nothing in this money is going towards the upgrade of Highway 29 to 6 lanes that the citizens are required to pay now that the city approved the Supercenter going in on that state highway.

For you folks who may not have heard this part, the Wal-Mart Supercenter was not part of the city's long-term plans submitted to Caltrans for planning purposes. The city went ahead and approved the development in spite of the fact that Caltrans had no funding mechanism to expand the highway to accommodate the increased traffic and access required by a Supercenter. Caltrans denied a funding request from the city and the city sued in state court to force Caltrans to pay for the highway upgrade.

"Wal-Mart Moves Closer to Russia

2009-01-12T05:52:00.000-08:00

Read more at the Moscow Times
12 January 2009

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, has registered a legal entity in Russia and joined a local retailers' organization, the latest in a series of moves indicating its interest in expanding into the country.

The company registered a subsidiary under the name WM Eastern Europe Holdings and joined the Russian Association of Retail Trade Companies, or AKORT, which includes the 28 largest commercial organizations in the country.

'Wal-Mart is working on the Russian market,' Ilya Belonovsky, the executive director of the 28-member industry group said Dec. 29. He declined to elaborate."

Hello Walmart Shoppers

2009-01-12T05:22:00.000-08:00

read more at Today’s Trucking

"Beginning as a one-truck operation serving Eastern Ontario in 1990, Seaway has grown to over 65 units and has made a specialty out of serving the tightly scheduled Wal-Mart distribution Center, also located in the Cornwall Business Park.

Known as Supply Chain Management, the Wal-Mart depot handles all the stores' merchandise east of Ontario."

Wal-Mart Taps Agentrics to Support Great Value Re-Branding, Private Label Development

2009-01-12T05:19:00.000-08:00

PR release at eMedia Wire

"Agentrics PLM Platform Core to World's Largest Retailer's Private Brand Growth Strategy

Chicago (PRWEB) January 12, 2009 -- Agentrics, a leading solution provider to the world's largest retailers and their trading partners, today announced that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), the world's largest retailer, selected the Agentrics product lifecycle management (PLM) platform to support the collaborative development of its private brand products, beginning with the Wal-Mart Great Value line. Agentrics PLM features a Web-based, collaborative, end-to-end work process, database and production environment to drive speed, innovation and consistency across the product lifecycle. Agentrics has rebranded the Wal-Mart system, which is now referred to as 'Wal-Mart ASPECT' across the retailer's network.

In October, Wal-Mart and more than 500 suppliers began using Agentrics PLM to support the re-branding of the Wal-Mart Great Value line.

. . . Great Value is the highest selling consumer brand in North America..

Is Verizon Deal A Big Loss For Google? - 01/09/2009

2009-01-12T05:17:00.000-08:00

Read more at MediaPost Publications "How big a loss is the Verizon mobile search deal for Google? BusinessWeek's Rob Hof says it depends on how Verizon positions search on its devices. However, as browsing via the mobile Web becomes more important, Hof wonders whether such deals are 'less important than they used to be.'

According to Nielsen Mobile, only 20% of mobile subscribers use search on their phones. Of those, 60% use Google, 18% use Yahoo and only 6% use Microsoft. Hof deduces that since Google's only exclusive deals are with Sprint Nextel and the Android-based T-Mobile G1 phone, 'it's clear that most people are choosing Google regardless of what the default search option is.'"

TiVo Redesigns Search Function, Wants to be the 'Google of TV'

2009-01-12T05:16:00.000-08:00

read more at Gadget Lab from Wired.com:
". . . Still, this is a feature that is most helpful during passive browsing – if you're the type that already knows what you want, the new search will look much nicer but it won’t make a huge difference.

Already, some are saying that the search function is not fast at all but TiVo reps promise they're working on boosting that speed. That’s an important development that is critical if the company really wants to make this feature the 'Google of TV search.'"

Pen Computer

2009-01-12T05:13:00.000-08:00

read more at BBC NEWS | dot.life |

"LiveScribe Pulse

After seeing a fellow journalist using this computer-in-a-pen at the show, I was already impressed, and the presenters here showed it off really well. So you're at a press conference or lecture. You take notes with the pen, which also records audio, on special paper with microdots built in. If your shorthand, like mine, is non-existent, you'll look back at your notes and puzzle to understand them. But tap on any word you've written down, and your recording will replay at the exact same point in the lecture. Clever, really clever.

So take your pick. I was most impressed by Bug Labs Bug and by the LiveScribe Pen but, like the judges on Strictly Come Dancing, I was out of tune with the public. The online audience voted for the Emware stress reliever, while the hooters and the hollerers in the hall chose the Eye-Fi video card. As an American politician said after being voted out, 'the people have spoken, the bastards.'"

T-Mobile G1 Powered by Google Android �

2009-01-12T05:11:00.000-08:00

read more at Last Gadget Standing:
"Pros: As the first Android device, the G1 has a lot to prove; thankfully, in most key areas it’s a tour-de-force of functionality and user-friendliness. Eye-catching features like the Street View-controlling compass start off looking like gimmicks but end up must-haves, while HTC’s sturdy design may not win too many beauty pageants but doesn’t, at least, fall apart in your pocket.

Cons: Despite the hype, this is no iPhone killer; the G1 appeals to a whole different segment of users looking to tinker with their handset and have the open-source blessing of Google to do just that. For the rest of us, that means a smartphone with a few obvious omissions, like no on-screen keyboard, and the inevitable teething pains of a spanking new platform.

Recommendation: Undercutting the iPhone 3G’s outright purchase price, together with recently lowered monthly price plans, make the G1 a serious budget option as well as an open-source dream. Future Android devices may heap on the glamor, but they’ll owe no small debt to the G1. For innovation, flexibility, and promise, the G1 has to go forward."

What’s the Kindle Worth to Amazon? - NYTimes.com

2009-01-09T03:44:00.000-08:00

read at NYTimes.com
"Amazon’s current $24 billion market capitalization represents a whopping premium to that figure. Even stripping out $2 billion of cash, $9 billion of value is apparently unaccounted for. Could that be the “Kindle premium”?

Amazon is trying to copy Apple’s stunning success with its elegant iPod and cheap and user-friendly music store. The Kindle is not there yet, but it is getting closer. This year, Amazon is redesigning it, and a student version is also expected, an attempt to snag part of the $5.5 billion annual United States college textbook market."

Ballmer: Google, Google, the economy, Google

2009-01-09T03:38:00.000-08:00

Google v Apple v Amazon

2009-01-09T03:31:00.001-08:00

Read at CNN.com
"In particular, ScrollMotion's upcoming Iceberg Reader, the first application to partner with several major publishers of copyrighted books, promises to make full use of the iPhone/iPod Touch as a fully functional e-book reading device."

Urban Tick with Google Earth

2009-01-08T05:52:00.000-08:00

read more at Google Earth Blog
Imagine if you tracked your daily commute and every side trip for several months. What would your track reveal about the place you work? If you animated the track over time, what would it tell you about the daily flow of traffic in a city? Imagine using Google Earth to show the data and compare it to the underlying imagery and data GE provides? This is what a master's student named Fabian in the UK name Fabian is doing and sharing through his blog Urban Tick (see his introductory post about the project).

Verizon makes a big mistake, picks Microsoft

2009-01-08T04:59:00.000-08:00

read at ZDNet.com:
"Google, Yahoo and Microsoft were competing for a mobile search deal that would give the winner some good exposure through the Verizon network. Unfortunately for Verizon, they didn’t choose Google — something that would have given users a level of comfort, and a better user experience out of the box.

“The ultimate goal in mobility is contextual awareness and the delivery of highly personalized experiences,” Jackson said. “These are competencies Google has in spades, so it may be that Verizon’s customers ultimately end up with an inferior experience relative to what Google might enable.” — John Jackson"

Wal-Mart settles drug records accusation

2009-01-07T17:56:00.000-08:00

read at BusinessWeek
"LITTLE ROCK, Ark.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has agreed to a $637,000 fine to settle allegations that it violated drug record keeping regulations at its pharmacies in south Texas.

Federal prosecutors said Wednesday that Wal-Mart paid the fine on Dec. 29 and that the settlement was made final on Tuesday.

Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Johnson says the case began with five Wal-Mart and Sam's Club pharmacies that allegedly didn't have records the government requires to help prevent diversion of controlled substances. Johnson said the problem with the records violated the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act, under which the complaint was brought. More Wal-Mart pharmacies in the region were then audited, he said."

Wal-Mart De Mexico 2008 Sales Up 11% To Record MXN244.03 Billion

2009-01-07T16:11:00.000-08:00

read at CNNMoney.com:
"MEXICO CITY -(Dow Jones)- Retailer Wal-Mart de Mexico (WMMVY) said Wednesday its sales rose 11% last year to a record 244.03 billion pesos ($17.7 billion), although growth slowed toward the end of the year with a decline in December same-store sales.

Same-store sales fell 0.8% in the last month of the year from December 2007, affected in part by a negative calendar effect.

Walmex, as Mexico's biggest retailer is known, said same-store sales for the full year 2008 were up 4.6% from 2007."

Verizon picks Microsoft search over Google, Yahoo

2009-01-07T14:05:00.000-08:00

from Reuters: "By Ritsuko Ando and Sinead Carew

NEW YORK/LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc has chosen Microsoft Corp to provide Internet search services for cell phones, in what is seen as a blow to rivals Google Inc and Yahoo Inc."

UPDATE 1-Sam's Club's head to be Wal-Mart International CEO

2009-01-07T07:28:00.000-08:00

read at Reuters:
"CHICAGO, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) said on Wednesday that Doug McMillon, the current head of its Sam's Club division, will become president and CEO of Wal-Mart International next month, when the current man in that role takes over as the company's president and CEO."

Print 3D Buildings from Google Earth

2009-01-07T06:09:00.000-08:00

Video at Google Earth Blog
"Another company has come out with a solution for making 3D prints from Google Earth. This time the solution is actually based on SketchUp 3D models. The company is called Sweet Onion Creations, and they describe how to click on a 3D model seen in Google Earth (or any found in the Google 3D Warehouse) and using their '3D printing' service get back an actual physical model. Here's a video they've made showing how it works:"

Wal-Mart to Settle Suits Over Pay

2009-01-07T06:07:00.000-08:00

read more at NYTimes.com
"Wal-Mart said on Tuesday that it would pay at least $352 million, and possibly far more, to settle lawsuits across the country claiming that it forced employees to work off the clock. Several lawyers described it as the largest settlement ever for lawsuits over wage violations."

Wal-Mart Stole Market Share from GameStop

2009-01-07T06:04:00.000-08:00

read more at Edge Online:
"Big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart gained market share against specialty retail GameStop over the holiday season due to highly-competitive pricing, Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey said in a research note Tuesday.

'We expect GameStop may have lost intended foot traffic this holiday to big-box retailers offering highly promotional pricing on numerous consumer products,' he stated. 'We think low price retailers like Wal-Mart, arguably the largest domestic videogame retailer, likely took market share this holiday.'"